49ers GM Trent Baalke splits life between Bay Area, Loveland

Tight families always support each other, and the process is a two-way street. In the Baalke household, it's just the road is a little longer.

Beth Baalke works as a teacher at Thompson Valley High School, giving her plenty of time with her two daughters, Katy and Cassie. Her husband, Trent, just happens to be the general manager of the San Francisco 49ers, who on Sunday will play the Baltimore Ravens in New Orleans in Super Bowl XLVII.

When Trent started moving up the chain with the 49ers, a hard decision had to be made, and all involved have learned to make it work over the years.

"In 2005, he was hired on by the 49ers. He'd always expressed to me someday he was going to be a GM," Beth said.

Thompson Valley High School senior Cassie Baalke, front, gets a hug from her dad, Trent, after her basketball game against Longmont on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, at TVHS

"That was his ultimate goal, and I think Katy was maybe a freshman or sophomore, and she was wanting to stay in school. Cass was in middle school, so we sat down with them one day and we just said, 'Here's the deal, what do you guys think?' It was a family decision."

While Trent needed to be in San Francisco, the rest of the family chose to finish out their school years in Loveland. As Beth explained, they all loved the community, and both parents wanted the girls to graduate from Thompson Valley. Katy did in 2010; Cassie will this year.

It was an adjustment, for sure, but they've made it work over the years. Trent started out in the NFL with the New York Jets, then moved on to the Washington Redskins. In his work as a scout, travel was commonplace. As Katy said, Trent being gone on a more permanent basis hit both girls at different stages in their lives, but they've made the adjustments.

"It's normal to us to talk to our dad over the phone every night and not see him every night," Katy said. "That's just became normal. Growing up, it became easier the older we got, knowing he's doing this for the family and not to be selfish."

Trent, who took over as the 49ers general manager at the end of the 2010 season after the team and Loveland native Scot McCloughan parted ways, gets to spend a good portion of May and June at home with his girls. In between, he's always made sure to make it to the big events in his daughters' lives, and will swing in and surprise them at times, like he did last Friday. On his way to San Francisco from the Senior Bowl, he swung in and watched Cassie score 10 points in a 35-31 victory over Longmont.

"We have a strong family, and we pride ourselves in wanting to be good parents," Beth said. "I don't want to make the decisions on my own. What is his opinion and my opinion, do we agree on that. A lot of times, I would tell the girls, let me throw it by your dad. That way he felt he was a part of it. It's been hard for him to be away, but like I said, they understand, they get it."

Cassie admitted it was tough at times after games, not having Trent there as a sounding board. When she kicked for the football team, she received no sympathy from dad. He simply told her there would be no crying and that she should expect to get hit.

"It's easier, because he always supports us in everything we do," Cassie said. "No matter what it is, we have his support. Working in the NFL is what he's always wanted to do. We support him in that, and it goes both ways."

At the end of each phone call, she and Trent have a pattern. He asks, "Why they play the game?" and she said her only response used to be, "to win the game." It was a bit different last week, as she and Trent went through the routine on the sidelines in Atlanta after the 49ers rallied to earn a trip to the Super Bowl.

Yes, having a father as an NFL general manager can have its perks. Cassie has met NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and Katy noted they have met M.C. Hammer and Usher at games. Last week, they were introduced to 49ers great Charles Haley.

"I liked him," Beth chimed in. "He gave them a lot of good advice -- Boys will lie."

It was a trip the Baalke girls were not expecting to make, but on the urging of the team owners, all families were summoned.

Katy admitted it can be tough to watch games for that reason. When your dad is the general manager, you view it a lot different from a normal fan.

"Last weekend was more nerve-wracking because the 49ers were there last year," she said of the loss to the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game. "I was hoping we could make it farther than we did last year. Hopefully it turns out well so we can celebrate all night."

All of them look forward to heading to New Orleans. Katy and Cassie are both excited to see the city for the first time, and who wouldn't want to watch a Super Bowl live?

Naturally, it's more than that. Just like their dad does for them, they want to be there and support him for his big event.

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